It appears as if U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy will become Louisiana’s senior senator in January 2017, following what will be just two years in the nation’s upper chamber.
That’s because U.S. Sen. David Vitter announced he will not seek re-election next year after being soundly defeated in the Louisiana governor’s race. Vitter will step down with 12 years experience in the Senate and another six in the House.
With his own six years in the House, it also looks like Cassidy, a Baton Rouge Republican, will become one of the longest serving members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation when the new senator is sworn in.
There’s no doubting Cassidy can handle the load, but it’s a far cry from the time when our elected D.C. surrogates spent decades building careers on Capitol Hill.
In the Senate, Russell Long put in 39 years, J. Bennett Johnston served 25 years, Mary Landrieu spent 18 years before leaving and so did John Breaux, following a 15-year stint in the House. Also from the lower chamber, Billy Tauzin chalked up 25 years, and Jim McCrery and Richard Baker spent 21 years each in Washington representing Louisiana.
While the state’s congressional delegation could certainly benefit from a bit more time in office to catch up to the stature of these Beltway giants, Cassidy would reach the age of 94 before being able to match Long’s tenure in the Senate. There are signs, though, that a Louisiana politician doesn’t have to make it through nearly four censuses to move up the leadership ladder.
Look no further than Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, for proof. With Vitter’s exit, he will officially become the dean of the delegation. Scalise was sworn in just seven years ago and took over the third most powerful position in the entire chamber in 2014. He is on a career track in Congress and helps offset any serious concerns about the loss of Louisiana’s clout in D.C.
Nonetheless, it’s clear our congressional members are serving shorter terms than any other time in recent memory. Within the last eight years, Louisiana has turned over every House seat, has had two congressmen whose terms can be counted in months and another two congressmen who have served a single term and one and a half terms, respectively.
Scalise, for example, was preceded by Gov. Bobby Jindal, who served only three years in the House. New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond, the delegation’s lone Democrat and the youngest at age 42, assumed office in 2011 and followed Joseph Cao, who held the seat for just two years.
Congressman Ralph Abraham, R-Mangham, took office for the first time in January and replaced Vance McAllister, who was a congressman for roughly 14 months due to a special election and a classic Louisiana dilemma. For his own part, Abraham isn’t looking for a political career and has promised voters only six years on the Hill, so he’ll make way for new blood no later than the 2021-2022 term.
Congressman Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, who is second in age to Richmond at 43, was also elected last year to fill Cassidy’s vacancy and took office in January. In 2008, though, Cassidy did beat Don Cazayoux, who was in office for just eight months.
Then there’s Congressman Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, who assumed office in 2005 to succeed Chris John’s eight-year term. And, as a byproduct of redistricting, Boustany took out Jeff Landry in 2012 after a single Washington term. (Landry landed a decent consolation prize this fall and is now Louisiana’s next attorney general.)
There could be more fresh faces in the delegation with both Boustany and Congressman John Fleming, R-Shreveport, who was sworn in back in 2009, looking to run for Vitter’s open Senate seat next year. Already there’s a large slate of candidates lining up for the post and the possibility of losing both Boustany and Fleming is notable. Boustany just landed the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee’s Tax Policy Subcommittee and Fleming has become an important voice in the conservative Freedom Caucus.
For lobbyists and others who depend on long-term relationships with elected officials, it must be like changing dates on the night of the prom. For bureaucrats in state government who need consistent lines to federal contracts and pots of money, it’s an excruciating waiting game. But for fans of term limits, it surely seems like a dream come true.
Back home in Louisiana, the changing of the guard continues with a new governor in the form of John Bel Edwards, while Billy Nungesser prepares to take over as lieutenant governor and Landry preps for the role of Louisiana’s top attorney. In the Legislature, a new speaker of the House will soon be selected as well and a wave of new committee chairs are expected.
It’s yet another rebuilding year in the Bayou State, especially on the federal level. It’s too early to tell whether this trend points to the death of Louisiana’s career Beltway politicians, but it’s certainly a model that’s on life support.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
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